By Keith Dobney The archaeological component of the HORN project kicked off in May with a reconnoitre to Ethiopia by […]

What is One Health?

One Health is the concept that the health and well-being of people is linked to the health of their animals and the environment. It is nowhere more true than in the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and Djibouti) where many people’s livelihoods are highly, or in some cases entirely, dependent on livestock. Animals are culturally, socially and economically vital in the region. Livestock provide, for example, over 60% of agricultural GDP in the Horn. Livestock are also a source of human disease. Outbreaks of disease in animals thereby directly affect people’s health but also their wealth and nutrition.

Livestock production and human health and wellbeing in the Horn of Africa can be increased through research, leading to improved agricultural systems; more food and less malnutrition; more financial resilience; and better detection, diagnosis, prevention and control of disease.

One Health Regional Network for the Horn of Africa (HORN)

HORN is a multidisciplinary, international partnership of the following organisations: the University of Liverpool, and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; University of Nairobi, and International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya; University of Addis Ababa, and the International Livestock Research Institute, Ethiopia; iGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School, Somaliland; Hamelmalo Agricultural College, Eritrea; and other national and international organisations and NGO’s.

THE HORN OF AFRICA

What HORN will do

HORN’s mission is to improve the health and wealth of the people of the Horn of Africa by developing a One Health Regional Network – a network of individuals and organisations across the Horn of Africa – that can undertake high quality research into the link between people’s health and wealth and that of livestock and the environment.

How HORN will do it

HORN will strengthen the ability of organisations to undertake research with a 5 step process:

Undertake research capability assessments of partner institutions in the Horn of Africa to assess the current and target research capabilities, propose plans to reach the target, implement them and monitor progress.

Provide training to non-research staff from these institutions, including leadership training, placements/shadowing in research support, and training in laboratory skills.

Advance the knowledge and research skills of researchers from these institutions in generic, laboratory and subject-specific skills.

Undertake basic and applied research in the area of One Health.

Create the One Health Regional Network – HORN. The proposed partnership, training of non-research and research staff, and research placements with mobility between countries will develop a regional network.